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Company and Industry Information: Where to start

Sources of information on Australian, international, company and industry information.

Starting Your Search

To start your search for company information, it may be useful to consider what type of company it is.

Australian companies fall under two main categories: ‘Public’ or ‘Proprietary’. Proprietary companies are also commonly known as ‘Private’.

The following websites are a useful starting point to find out more about company information:

IBISWorld industry reports

IBISWorld provide detailed industry reports which include statistical information, major companies within an industry, SWOT analysis of the industry and projected economic data.  Reports include Australian and New Zealand private and public companies and represent industries including architecture, engineering, accounting, the arts, and agriculture.

To access IBISWorld from the Melbourne Polytechnic Library website, click on the Databases A-Z link on the homepage and select IBISWorld from the alphabetical listing. 

Please note: if you are accessing IBISWorld off-campus, you will be required to log in with your Library account.

MarketLine reports

MarketLine reports are available through the database Business Source Premier (access this from the Library's A-Z databases link on the Library website).  You will need to login with your Melbourne Polytechnic library password to access these reports.  Once you have logged into the Business Source Premier database, select 'company profiles' at the top of the screen to view all MarketLine reports, or search for individual company reports. MarketLine reports are comprehensive reports on thousands of international business.  Information featured in each report includes company overview and facts, business description (including major products and services), key employees and bibliographies, and a SWOT analysis.